Phnom Penh traveller’s guide: things to do in and around the city

Located in the south of the country, Phnom Penh is just under 50 miles from the border with Vietnam and nearly 200 miles from Siem Reap, with the Mekong flowing through the heart of the city. Today you’ll find a mix of traditional sites, Art Deco and Khmer architecture and new high-rise buildings, as well as some of Cambodia’s biggest attractions.

The city’s name – pronounced ‘pe-NOM pen’ – translates as Penh’s Hill, thanks to a legend about its founding. The story tells that a wealthy widow named Penh found a tree floating down the river after a storm, containing four Buddha statues and a statue of Vishnu. She ordered villagers to raise the height of the hill near her house, then used the wood from the tree to build a temple housing the Buddha statues, and a shrine for Vishnu lower down, with the temple eventually becoming known as Wat Phnom.

Any holiday in Cambodia is likely to include some time in the city, so we’ve picked out the best things to do in and around Phnom Penh in our city guide.

Once the tallest building in the city, the ornate Royal Palace still dominates the riverfront and is the official residence of the monarch. Although parts of the palace compound are closed to the public, you can marvel at the exteriors, with their Khmer roofs, curlicue spires and ornate gilding, as well as venturing inside some of the buildings. The Throne Room is open to the public, with its 59m-high tower inspired by the Bayon Temple in Angkor, and is still used for diplomatic ceremonies. Another of the biggest highlights of a visit to the complex is the Silver Pagoda; named for its floor, which is covered with five tonnes of silver, and which houses a string of Buddha statues made from various precious metals. Elsewhere, look out for the restored Ramayana Mural, depicting a legendary battle scene.

Royal Palace

The Mekong River flows through Phnom Penh on its long 3,050-mile journey from the Tibetan Plateau through Southeast Asia to the Mekong Delta and the sea. You can board boats here to take you onwards to Vietnam and follow the river to the coast, but even if you’re not cruising any further down the mighty waterway, don’t miss the chance to head out onto the river. The best option is a sunset boat trip, to watch the sun sinking behind the spires and skyscrapers of the city’s skyline, letting you relax away from the bustle of the capital’s busy streets.

Home to the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture, you can discover artefacts from Angkor and other artworks from a period of over a thousand years. The National Museum building itself is around 100 years old, constructed in traditional style around a courtyard garden, not far from the Royal Palace. Among the displays, there are pieces from the 4th to 9th centuries from the Funan and Chenla periods, as well as from the glory days of Angkor; information is often limited but look out for some imposing statues of Vishnu and Shiva and a wooden royal barge.

The temple which gives the city its name sits on a 27m high hill – the only one in central Phnom Penh. According to legend, the first pagoda dates from the city’s founding in 1372 and was created to house four statues of Buddha, with the sanctuary (or vihara) rebuilt several times over the years. Most people enter via the grand eastern staircase, guarded by lions and with serpent-like naga writhing around the handrail alongside the steps. The ashes of 15th century king Ponhea Yat are contained in a huge stupa here, while you can also see a statue of Lady Penh. It’s still a living temple, with many coming here to ask for success in exams and business, and offerings of flowers and fruit given if the prayers are answered.

Another of Phnom Penh’s oldest and most important pagodas, Wat Ounalom dates back to the 15th century and is considered the headquarters of Cambodian Buddhism. Look out for a statue of Huot Tat, fourth patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism, who was killed by Pol Pot during the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror. The statue itself was thrown into the Mekong by the Khmer Rouge as a symbolic gesture to suggest Buddhism was no longer important, but was later rescued. You’ll also see a small marble Buddha which was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge and later reassembled. Behind the main building, there’s a stupa containing an eyebrow hair of the Buddha.

Documenting the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge against the Cambodian people, a visit to Tuol Sleng Prison is an intensely moving and distressing reminder of one of the darkest chapters in Cambodian history. In 1975, the high school building was transformed into Security Prison (S-21) by Pol Pot’s security forces, becoming the largest centre of detention and torture in Cambodia. Today the museum bears witness to the horrifying crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge over the years until the prison was liberated by the Vietnamese army in 1979. Although a visit isn’t easy, learning about this period of recent history is key to understanding Cambodia today.

Around 20 minutes from Tuol Sleng Prison, Choeung Ek Genocidal Center is better known as the Killing Fields and acts as another memorial to the atrocities committed under the Khmer Rouge. Today this former orchard is a tranquil place, but between 1975 and 1978, around 20,000 men, women and children who had been detained at S-21 prison (Tuol Sleng) were transported to this site to be executed. There’s an audio tour to recount the history of the site, including stories from those who survived as well as a former guard, plus a museum with more information on the Khmer Rouge. A total of 129 mass graves have been found here, with more than 8,000 skulls arranged by sex and age now creating the starkly moving Memorial Stupa.

One of the most atmospheric districts in Phnom Penh, the French Quarter is home to a series of grand colonial buildings such as the General Post Office, the National Library, and the train station, although many have fallen into disrepair over the years. You can still visit Raffles Hotel Le Royal, including the Elephant Bar, which houses Cambodia’s largest gin collection. The French Embassy itself is around a 15-minute walk from Raffles Hotel, although a high wall hides the grand embassy building itself.

You’ll find several markets to explore in Phnom Penh, but a couple stand out including Psar Thmei, the Art Deco Central market. The huge domed hall is said to be one of the 10 largest domes in the world, while it has also been compared to a Babylonian ziggurat, with stalls selling everything from jewellery and antiques to fresh produce. If you’re looking for souvenirs, it’s not the cheapest place to buy, but a browse is unmissable. Or head to the Russian Market, Psar Tuol Tom Poung, named for the Russian expats who shopped there in the 80s. Selling everything from everyday essentials such as motorcycle parts to local silk, food and trinkets, you’ll find handicrafts here too – haggle for the best prices.

Just outside the city itself, this island in the Mekong is famous for its traditional silk weaving, and well worth a visit if you have time. The country’s silk-weaving history predates the temples of Angkor, with a chance to learn more about the process at the island’s silk weaving centre around 10 minutes’ walk from the ferry dock. After discovering how the silk worms are fed with mulberry leaves, before the thread is spun and dyed, see weavers using handmade wooden looms to create patterned scarves and traditional shirts. Not merely a tourist attraction, you can also watch women creating more silk products in a nearby village.

Visit Phnom Penh on an escorted tour of Vietnam